Overhaul of dal-roti scheme in the works

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

The government is contemplating scrapping its dal-roti scheme in its present form and instead pass on the benefits to the poor through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) system.

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has already sent a proposal in this regard to the government and it is now awaiting Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s nod. The reports of a scam in the purchase of pulses may have prompted the government to think of the proposal.

Sources say the proposal was initiated after the department found on at least four occasions in recent months that the procurement process for pulses lacks transparency.

The inquiry was conducted after a report “Govt funds to buy dal for poor siphoned off” was published in these columns on October 28. Siphoning off of Rs 3 crore in the purchase of 5,460 MT of masoor sabut dal on June 14 by allowing a cartel of suppliers to operate was exposed.

The report said that the cartel allegedly being managed by a staff member of Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Karan Dev Kamboj, had again prepared ground for an encore for the purchase of 5,460 MT of moong sabut dal in October when Additional Chief Secretary Ram Niwas stopped the procurement process following the report.

Kamboj confirmed that the proposal for DBT instead of supply of dal had been sent to the Chief Minister. “Though personally I am in favour of supplying dal to the poor because only then can we ensure nutritious meal for their children, I have agreed to the proposal sent by my department because of unnecessary questions being raised over procurement,” he said.

The minister added that transfer of about Rs 50 each into the accounts of the beneficiaries was no guarantee that the money would be used for the purchase of dal for children and not for other purposes.

He denied the involvement of a cartel in the procurement of dal.

He said the government had to reschedule bidding by raising the maximum price on some occasions because of fluctuation in prices in the market. He also justified the government action of not allowing more contractors to participate in the bidding after hiking the maximum bidding prices.

“New contractors are allowed only if the government orders re-tendering. However, rescheduling of tenders was done in these cases to save time as the supply of dal was already late,” Kamboj reasoned.

Under the dal-roti scheme, nearly 12 lakh families living below poverty line get dal for Rs 20 per kg and wheat for Rs 2 per kg from the public distribution system.

Haryana State Federation of Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Stores Limited purchases dal for the scheme, that comes under the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.